Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Dark Dreams
by JellyBeanie123
Summary: The story of a young new recruit wishing to follow his dream and resist the the Demon King who killed his mother and sister. He faces battles, loves, losses and meets many interesting friends and foes along the way. Inspired by the fic "Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Silver Resistance" by ScytheRider. This fic has no relation to it however it has some similarities but is its own story.
1. Chapter 1: Arrival

The sun rose up in the early hours of the morning. The brightly coloured sky reflected off the surface of the ocean. For a only a few brief minutes, everything was peaceful. A small fox sat at the entrance of a make-shift den, overlooking the ocean. As he gazed out at the beauty before him, he relished the few moments of quiet that had come. The water glistened, and the surface remained so still, he could see a perfect image of his tiny self down at the base of the cliff. Although he enjoyed the silence that came with the early morning, he knew better than to stay out in the open for too long. With morning brought light. And light meant he could be seen. He could be caught. He dismantled the temporary den, making sure to leave no trail that could be followed. He had been taught well. But he knew better than to dawdle. As he looked back upon the rising sun, he scuffed. He never did like the light anyway.

The young fox ran swiftly through the dense forest, taking the most difficult and diverse route he could find, attempting to trick his pursuers. That is, if they were still following him. He hadn't seen them for days, and they probably assumed that such young, small, helpless creature could not survive on his own. But they were wrong. His father had taught him how to hunt, how to run, how to hide, how to survive. In this cruel world, nothing else matters. No one can protect you. No one can be trusted.

After some time the small fox grew thirsty. He found a small stream in the forest. As he approached he notice a blue shape jutting out of the water. He knew to approach with caution. After observing for several minutes, the young fox decided to approach the object. He stood in the water, gritting his teeth at the cold. He saw arms and legs coming from the form and knew it was a pokemon. A poliwrath to be exact. He touched the water type with his paw, pushing is slightly. It slowly rotated in the water until it turned belly upwards. The fox immediately recoiled in horror. Its eyes had been scratched out, and it's stomach ripped open. He began vomiting uncontrollably, heaving up what was left in his near empty stomach. It was something he had seen before, but had never gotten used to. A remover was responsible. Most likely something with sharp claws or talons. A bird pokemon maybe. He left the stream as quick as possible, forgetting about his thirst which brought him there.

Removers were devilish creatures. Cruel, vicious pokemon sent after those who displeased or apposed the Demon King. The Demon KIng was a bloodthirsty ruler who had gained control of the region by force, his enormous armies demolishing cities. Many tried to oppose him, and some set up resistance forces to try and defeat him. But so far, after so many years of torture and death, he still had power. No one knew what he looked like but they knew he was ferocious. He killed many innocent people and wanted to control everyone, one way or another. He caused so many deaths, and his armies grew more powerful everyday.

* * *

The fox took a small rest in a clearing. He still felt queasy after what he had seen, but he tried to ignore it. Instead he focused on his journey. He had been travelling for twelve days now and was nearing his destination, assuming he had remembered to follow the directions his father had given him correctly. He remembered the day so clearly, as if it was recent, and not over a year ago. His father had fallen ill. He was well enough to speak and even laugh at times, but he could hardly walk a mile without tiring out. The fox remembers his father calling him to his bedside, telling him that his time was to come soon, and that he needed to speak with him. They spent an entire two days going over the plan, until the young fox was able to recite it by heart. The directions, the names, the places. Everything he needed to do to make sure he could protect his family when his father had gone. His father had told him not to fight back, that he wouldn't be strong enough. He told him to run and protect his mother and sister. Well, he had gotten one part of that right.

His father passed on and it was up to him to protect his family. He did everything he could, day after day. But when the day finally came, he failed. He watched as he mother and sister were burned alive, and all he could do was run. Removers were responsible for their deaths as well. Sent by the Demon King to destroy them. And him.

The legacy which his father had left him was too big a burden. He couldn't handle the fact that his father was a fierce leader of one of the head rebellion forces, and one that was known by the Demon King. He was good too. His tactics resulted in many failures on the part of the Demon King's army. And the Demon King knew that. He knew that if he were to remove the famous X Lightning as he was known, he would come closer to achieving his goal. And he got his wish, although he didn't know it. He believed that the jolteon who had ruined so many of his plans was at home in his secret den. He was unaware of the fact that he had passed away a year ago.

The fox's eyes welled up with tears. He knew that the death of his mother and sister were meaningless. They were just collateral damage to some plan to kill someone who was already dead. And he didn't save them. He could've fought off the removers, at least do something to try and help them, but no. He just ran. His heart felt empty, his pain and suffering too great. He wondered why he should carry on, he had nobody left in the world. But he knew why he did. Because his father had only asked of him two things. Now that he and failed one, he was going to at least do the other. He felt overrun with emotions, fear, anger, remorse, guilt, hatred, sorrow. He couldn't think straight. His mind was a blur, his heart beating out of his chest. He couldn't handle the overwhelming sensations and blacked out in the clearing.

* * *

The young eevee awoke past nightfall. He let himself forget the drama from a few hours before and continued on. After all he was as good as there. He couldn't imagine what he would find when he arrived. Where his father believed he would be safe. He sprinted quickly in the right direction. He knew his way around in the dark. He was better in the dark. He liked the dark as it offered cover, protection, a place to hide from his shame. He came to a point where the trees began to thin out and he could pick up speed. He raced onwards, and before he knew it, he was walking on sand. The forest had ended and what lay before him seemed to be a desert. He had reached his destination.

He padded forward, keeping an eye out for any movement. Not that there was anywhere you could hide. Except maybe underground, or high up in the sky. He sat down and gazed up at the night sky, admiring it's beauty. It was like a sea of twinkling lights, illuminating the desert floor. He looked up at the moon, admiring it's bright, white light, contrasting with the black ocean it rested on. He liked the night sky, the way the yellow stars shone brightly on the black canvas. He remembered what his mother had once told him, how when someone dies, another star enters the sky. He remembered the night after his father died, when she pointed at the biggest star in the sky and said that it was him. Whenever he saw that star, he always felt better.

He began to wonder which star was his mother, and which his sister. He did it to pass the time, as he had reached his destination. He was clueless as to where to go from here or what to do, but that didn't matter. He was busy watching the stars.

Caught in his trance, he failed to notice the shadow behind him. It was only when it came over him did he snap out of his daze and react. He tried to turn around and get a good look at whatever it was, but he was caught in a psychic grip and couldn't move. He heard a voice, one that was both soothing and menacing at the same time.

"Who are you and what is your business here?" hissed the creature. It was obviously female and quite angry at the presence of an unknown pokemon.

"Pl…please. No!" screamed the young fox. He knew what it was that had hold of him, but he refused to give in to the removers. He struggled to break free from the psychic attack, but to no avail. He then felt an uncomfortable and surreal sensation in his mind. His head began to throb but the sensation went away after a moment.

"Calm, little fox creature. I am not what you think I am. I mean you no harm provided you state your name and your business". Her voiced seemed warmer than before and before he knew it, the little eevee was released from the psychic hold. He fell limp to the floor but jumped up immediately and spun around to get a good look at his attacker. Before him stood an elegant yet fearful creature, with a white gown that flowed from her neck to the ground, or at least the ground which she levitated above. A red blade-like object jutted out from her chest, her arms flowing at her side. Her eyes were a deep, mesmorising black, as if she were staring at your soul. Her graceful beauty was very deceiving.

"I…I'm here because my dad told me to come here. He said I would be protected. Pl…please. I'll leave if that's what you want. Just don't hurt me". The young eevee coward in fear at the feat of the beauty that stood before him. He could feel power radiating from her. She smiled, but she didn't look happy. She looked upon him with pity more than anything.

"What is your name?" asked the creature again, less venomously that before.

"I…I'm Shy" blurted the little fox, shivering where he stood, but not from the cold. The psychic creature gasped upon hearing the name, and proceeded to look around frantically.

"We must hurry. We cannot afford to stay in the open much longer. Where are your mother and sister?" she questioned. Shy looked sheepishly at her and turned his head away to avoid the judgement he was sure she'd show towards him. The psychic pokemon looked at him and said no more. She took hold of the small brown fox and vanished.

* * *

Shy followed his guide through a long, dark corridor, lit only by small blazing torches at even intervals, each one just barely close enough to the next to allow him to see. As he strolled down the desolate hallway, thoughts racing through his mind, he decided to ask his first question.

"Who are you?". A simple question with a simple answer. Or so he thought.

"The answer to that is varied" replied the psychic goddess. "You ask who I am, which could mean a simple request of my name, my species. Or it could mean a question about my past, my life story, my personality, who I really am. So which is it?" Shy gave her a quizzical look, wondering where that had all come from, realising now that he wanted to know everything she had just listed. He decided to start small.

"Okay, what is your name. You know mine, it seems only fair that I know yours" Shy said. "And what are you? I've never seen anything like you before".

"My name is…". She paused a bit before answering. "For now you may call me Guardian. Everyone else does. I'm a gardevoir, a psychic and fairy type pokemon". Shy wondered if that was her real name but decided not to take it any further. From then on he stopped asking questions. If she was so secretive about her name then what were the chances she would tell him anything else? They walked in silence for some time, down the never ending hallway. It was the gardevoir who broke the silence.

"You know it is not your fault, right? Your mother and sister. You couldn't have done anything. All you could have done was get yourself killed along with them".

"How would you know!" screamed Shy back at her. "I could've save them. I could have stopped them from dying! From being killed…".

"They were killed by a brutal remover. One who has a reputation as being one of the best. They knew how tactical and deceitful your father could be and sent someone who could take care of that. There was no way they could've known he wasn't alive. That's why they burned your home. With them inside. They probably tried to tell them that he was dead, long gone. But their efforts were fruitless. The Demon King had no knowledge of his death and as a result, they thought that your mother and sister were lying to protect him. That's why they killed them. They thought that they were lying". Guardian's tone was soothing, like a mother's. And they had stopped walking by know.

"How do you know what happened?" Shy was screaming at the top of his little lungs now. "How do you know what happened!" Guardian looked upon him with pitiful eyes.

"Because I can hear your thoughts. I can hear you going over everything you saw in your mind. How you believe it was your fault when in actuality it wasn't. They were killed by removers. Not you". She looked at the weeping ball of fur in front of her and couldn't help feeling guilty.

"I'm sorry that I eavesdropped on your thoughts but I don't do it intentionally. Some psychic pokemon have this ability. It's something we can't turn off. A blessing and a curse". Shy looked at her and felt sorry for screaming at her. It wasn't her fault his family had been killed. And she knew it wasn't his either. He got up without saying a word and continued to walk along, trying not to think about his family.

* * *

They eventually reached a large chamber. It was just as dark as the hallway, with only a small fire in the centre. The circular room had many doorways, some open, some closed. Shy tried to look down one of the hallways, but his eyesight was failing due to his tiring body. Guardian led him down one of the open hallways, closing the door behind her. The torches along the wall were lit, illuminating the entire hallway. Shy's eyes needed a few seconds to adjust, and when they did, he saw a giant green flying bug at the end of the hallway. At first he was startled, the massive red eyes glaring at him. But Guardian began approaching him, a small smile growing on her face. Shy followed, approaching with caution. He had been doing a lot of that lately.

"So I assume this was the one you detected. I don't see why you thought he could be dangerous". Shy was surprised by the sound of his voice. It was much higher than he had expected.

"This is Shy, as he calls himself. He is X's son". A look of shock grew across the creature's face, and he landed on the ground. He walked slowly towards Shy, gawking at him. Guardian's grin began to grow, seeing the excitement on her friend's face. Shy began to back away slowly, but was reassured by the look he received from Guardian. The bug-like creature was not as large as he appeared when he was grounded. He still towered over Shy, but appeared friendly upon close inspection. He stood in front of Shy, gazing intently at him. Suddenly Shy was lifted of the ground and squeezed into an embrace by the the creature.

"I'm Fly" said the dragon. "I'm a flygon and a close friend of your dad's. Or, at least I was". The flygon placed Shy back on the floor and looked away from him for a moment. Afterwards he spun around with a cheerful look on his face again.

"So, is it just you? Or are there others?". Shy looked down at his paws. At first Fly had no idea what he had said, but a swift look from Guardian said it all. She walked away ahead of them and in through a doorway near the end of the hallway, disappearing out of sight.

"Sorry. I'm glad you're here. I'm sure the others will be too." He jumped around and walked in the direction Guardian had gone. Shy followed, still staring at the ground. He just kept walking until he bumped head first into the flygon's tail.

"Oh. Sorry." said Shy. He looked up to find Fly staring straight at a door. A closed door. It had a small plaque in it's centre with a cross on it.

"This was your dad's room when he was our team leader" Fly explained. Shy noticed the tears welling in his eyes.

"He was an excellent leader. Without him, we could't have done any of what we have achieved. He was an excellent tactician, and friend". Shy was surprised when the flygon broke down and started to cry. Guardian approached from behind and put a hand on his head, consoling him.

"I have informed everyone else of your presence. They will greet you in the morning. For now, you can stay in here if you want". She pointed at the plaque on the door. Shy nodded slowly and followed Guardian inside. He could still hear Fly whimpering out in the hallway.

"He seemed to be good friends with my father" exclaimed Shy. "Were you close with him as well?". Guardian looked him directly in the eye.

"No I wasn't. I never met him. I've only been a part of this team for a short while. I joined after he left it a year and a half ago. I've heard many stories about him though. His triumphs. I've heard about you too. Not much but some. That's why I recognised your name". It seemed to make sense to Shy now. He knew his father was the leader of a strong resistance party against the Demon King. They were known as the secret six because of their ability to sneak in, do as much damage as possible, and sneak out. He always wondered what his father's team was like. When he left they were reduced to five, but it seems Guardian brought their numbers back to six. They were a very elite group, but their team name was known by many. The Fugitives. Shy never understood why they called themselves that. His father tried to explain the reasoning behind it once but it only confused him more.. His father tried to keep his family separate from this part of his life.

"You can stay here tonight. I'll come get you in the morning and you can meet the others". Guardian departed with no further words and shut the door behind her. Shy could hear her talking to Fly in the hallway but the words were muffled. He crawled over to the bed of straw in the corner. That's all there was in the room besides a small fire torch hanging on the wall. He noticed a small engraving on the wall beside him. The letter X. He placed his paw over it and shut his eyes. He stayed in that position for several minutes until the torch went out. He didn't know why it did but decided to ignore it. He fell asleep immediately.


	2. Chapter 2: New Friends

Black. That was it. Black. As he stared ahead of him, trying to make out any image in the darkness, all Shy could see was black. He walked forward into the emptiness, not knowing where he was headed. He knew it wasn't just dark, he knew he could see. It was just all black. A never ending sea of nothing. He gazed out into the darkness, not scared but not very sure of himself. He did not know what he was searching for but he knew he had to keep looking for it. Like his life depended on it. He raced around panicking, trying to find anything to cling onto. But there was nothing there. Just black.

He walked on, until his legs couldn't carry him any further. He collapsed on the ground, unable to move. He felt his life draining from him, being sucked away by some unknown force. Just as he was about to give up, and succumb to the darkness, he noticed a red shape floating in the dark sky. He couldn't make out what it was but another one appeared next to it. He stared up at them, trying to make out what they were. He suddenly felt a shiver run down his body, all the way to his tail. He knew he should have felt afraid, but he didn't. He didn't feel anything. He hadn't felt much but pain lately. He was starting to feel numb.

The red shapes grew larger and larger, until they filled most of the dark sky. It was only then did Shy realise that they were not growing, they were moving forward. Closer to him. As they grew nearer, he could make out that they were a pair of eyes. Big, red, menacing eyes. He knew he should run, he sensed danger. But he couldn't move. He felt as though something was holding him down. The eyes moved towards him, edging closer and closer. Shy felt as though the were staring straight into his soul, that they were responsible for his energy draining. His life fading.

* * *

Shy awoke with a start, his fur soaking with sweat. All he remembered was the pair of eyes coming down upon him, enveloping him in darkness once again. He looked around the room. The torch had lit up again. He wondered how it worked, and if it was even real fire. He crawled out of his bed and walked over to it. He saw how it flickered, felt the heat radiating from it. But it had a strange aura coming from it, it wasn't like any fire he had ever seen. He tried to touch in but he was too small. He decided to get the bed and stand on it. When he turned around he noticed other beds in the room. Two others, three total. He knew that if he put all three on top of each other and push them up against the wall, he would be able to reach the fire. He pushed the first bed up against the wall, and went over to the second one. He wondered why there were three beds in the room, and wondered if his father lived with other people while he was here.

As he went to grab the last bed in the corner, he noticed a dark form hanging from the ceiling. At first Shy's curiosity got the better of him and he walked a little closer. He looked up at the dark creature gazing at him, with blood red eyes. Eyes he recognised. It was then that his instincts kicked in and he began to creature jumped down from the roof and walked towards Shy. He coward back until he hit the wall. The door was on the opposite side of the room, so he had no escape route. He decided his only option was to strike. He unleashed his most powerful screech attack, hoping to distract his opponent while he made for the door. Unfortunately the pokemon seemed unaffected. It kept moving closer to him, making no sound. He had no idea what else to do. He was cornered, defenceless. His only option was to sit and wait for pain to come.

Guardian barged in, opening the door with her psychic abilities.

"What"s wrong? Why did you scream so…" She stared at the demonic creature as a mother would when scolding a child for doing wrong. The creature stared at her for a moment, followed by a fit of laughter.

"What did you do!" Guardian was acting furious with the dark one, although it was acting as though it was all a game.

"Shy I apologise on behalf of Luna. She can be quite feisty some times. She's a zoroark. A rare dark type pokemon that can change its form and see into people's dreams. She can be quiet immature at times, but is a great ally." The zoroark stretch out it's paw to Shy, it's red claws nearly touching his nose. He could not believe that such a fearsome looking creature could be part of the rebellion team. She looked as though she were something form a nightmare. It was then he realised that she must have been the creature responsible for his dark dream. The eyes were engraved in his mind, but they looked so much more gentle in the real world than they were in his dream.

"I'm Luna, heh. I happy to meet you. Did you have a nice rest?" She grinned widely at the little eevee. Shy looked back at her with unease. He felt uncomfortable around such a mischievous creature.

"So Shy, are you ready to meet the rest if the group? Well, now that you've met half of us, you may as well meet the rest. We're ready for you in the meeting room, down the end off the hall." Guardian departed, followed by Luna who kept giggling to herself on her way out. Shy was left alone and bewildered in the room. He peered around the door down the hall, but there was no one there. He walked down towards the open door at the end of the hallway. As he toddled down, he passed various other doors of the team. He passed one with Guardian written on the plaque. He stared at it for a moment, wondering what lay behind the door. If Guardian told her teammates that was her name, was she really lying?

He was broken from his trance when his name was called. Whoever it was sounded impatient so he ran the rest of the way. He padded through the doorway into a small room. It had several torches on the walls with a wall hanging up on the back wall. It had a picture of the Gods. The wielder of time, Dialga. The master of space, Palkia, The ruler of the reverse world, Girintina. All three surrounded the God of creation, Arceus. Shy admired the beautiful artwork of the tapestry. In the centre of the room stood a stone table. It looked old and well used. On it was a large map. It was one of the entire region. Shy remembers his father calling them wonder maps. They were exceedingly rare and expensive. Around the table stood six intimidating pokemon, three of which he had met already. Nearest to him was Guardian, who ushered him over towards her.

"Shy, this is us. Team Fugitives. We are humbled to make your acquaintance." In front of Shy stood Fly, who had a large grin on his face and even gave Shy a small wave. Luna had lost her immature appearance, and now sported a serious frown. However she still did not seem to show hostility towards him. Opposite him stood a beautiful, graceful pokemon that blew him away. It was the most beautiful creature he had every laid his eyes on. A serpentine pokemon with a serenity and elegance that exceeded any other. He gawked at her with wide eyes, unable to to turn away.

"This is Serena, a milotic. She is a strong battler with many decisive battle strategies". As Guardian continued on, Serena began to blush. Shy couldn't help but smile.

"Don't let her looks deceive you," exclaimed Fly. "She can be deadly when she wants to be." Fly grinned at the serpent pokemon, while she scowled back. A little cough stole Shy's attention, as he searched for the source. His eyes found a snow white winged pokemon. It had three spikes emitting from its head, while its stomach had various shapes in red and blue all over it. It seemed to have somewhat of a neutral attitude towards the situation, not smiling but not frowning either. Shy got the impression that she was preoccupied with some other thought.

"Shy," Guardian continued. "This is our sentry, Ren. She is quite the spirited one at times, and she was extremely close with X, your dad." At the mention of his name, the togekiss snapped out of her trance. She looked down at the little eevee and frowned. After several seconds she looked away again. Shy had no idea what to make of her.

At the head of the table stood a fierce, tough looking pokemon. He was tossing an oran berry back and forth between his two paws, but never averting his gaze from Shy. Shy felt somewhat uneasy as he realised that he didn't even blink when he was looking. He began to feel self conscious as he realised all of them were staring at him, not smiling like they were, but with expressions of fear and pity. Fly even looked scared. The tough pokemon needed no introduction. Guardian remained silent as he addressed the young fox.

"I am Cain. The leader of Team Fugitives. Your father was my predecessor. I was his second in command, he and I spent much time together. I welcome you to this place, our hide-out. Please, stay as long as you wish." He began walking out of the room, the tension suddenly leaving Shy's shoulders. He was about to breathe a sigh of relief when Cain spoke again.

"I hope you realise that we are not a charity. You will not take advantage of us like he did." The lucario walked out of the room, leaving Shy's stomach in knots. He felt as though he were going to repeat the events that followed him finding the dead poliwrath, and wanted to go outside for some air. He followed Fly down the hallway he went through on his way in. He walked in silence for some time, watching the torches pass by.

"How do they keep burning?" he questioned. He was so focused on the torches that he once again walked straight into the flygon's tail. He began explaining in detail how it was Shy's father who invented the link mechanism that connected them all, and if you light one, they all light. However it wasn't normal fire. It was Fly's job to light them every morning using dragon breath, and to put them out every evening. Shy tried to pay attention to what he was saying, but he wasn't all that interested. His mind was preoccupied with what he would do now. Cain made it clear that he wasn't welcome for very long, and he had nowhere else to go. He snapped out of it when they reached the end of the hallway again. Shy jumped onto Fly's back and held on with his paws wrapped around Fly's neck. Before he knew it they were up at the roof, opening the hatch and outside in the desert again.

"I've been meaning to ask," Shy said. "Does that mean you, Guardian or Ren need to be around to get the other guys out? I mean they can't exactly fly out like you three." He realised this was going to be just one of his many questions he wanted answered.

"No no no, there are a few more entrances into the base. Secret ones. One leads out into the ocean across the desert. Another leads into the forest. The base it much bigger than you would expect. We kept adding more facilities when your dad was around. He would often find helpless victims and take them in for several nights. He was so kind to everyone. But then one day he took in a remover disguised as an innocent pokemon who opposed the Demon King. When we found out who he really was, we had no choice but to…" He paused for a moment, letting Shy realise on his own what had happened.

"Anyway ever since he left we haven't taken anyone else in. Well, except you and Guardian. It's why we're so weary of people who hang around the base entrances." Shy assumed this little 'rule' was probably enforced by Cain, when he became leader.

"You say my father was so kind to people, then why did Cain say he took advantage of you guys?" Fly looked down at Shy. He took a few minutes to phrase the response correctly.

"Cain can be a bit…difficult at times. He and your dad never really got on well. That's what made them such a good team. When your dad stopped seeing sense, when his judgement was impaired, Cain was the one who made him see things clearly. It worked both ways though. Nowadays, Serena is Cain's second in command." Shy began to wonder if that was the reason Cain seemed to show some hostility towards him, because he was X's son. He wondered why they never got along. Maybe he was jealous of his father for being the leader of the team. Maybe that was why his father had stepped down so suddenly, after years of being part of it.

As he was thinking, Shy heard the hatch opening behind them. He turned around in time only to see a white blur rush past them. He looked up into the sky to see Ren flying up high. She looked down at him and kept going forward. Luna climbed out of the hatch next, closing the hatch behind her. She glanced at Shy and grinned. After a quick flash of light, an eevee stood before him. He looked at the imitation before him, and admired the near perfect resemblance to himself. The only difference was the eyes. Luna's imitation still had he eyes, and her devilish grin. Shy smiled at her and before he knew it, she was running after Ren.

"Where are they going?" he questioned.

"They have a mission to attend to. There is rumours of a small Demon King army force heading for Cobblestone Bay. We set up a safe house there a few months ago so they're going in to scout around. Ren will fly around, scanning the area while Luna will find a pokemon that blends in wight he crowd and transform into them. Or in this case maybe she won't have to." Fly smiled at Shy, and he couldn't help smiling back. He liked Luna. He thought she was funny. And Fly was friendly and being very patient with all the questions. When he had decided on the next one, he blurted it out without thinking.

"So what's the deal with Guardian? If that is even her name." He regretted saying it immediately, knowing that insulting her wouldn't increase the length of his stay. Not that he knew if he wanted to stay yet or not. He waited for the repercussions to come.

"That's a long story, some of which I probably shouldn't tell you." He seemed to act rather casually about the subject.

"When she came to us she was troubled. She was a remover working for the Demon King. A good one. Well not a good one, but a bad one I guess. She had a reputation for being quiet fiendish as a remover. But she changed. She fell in love with another pokemon, deeply. However he was part of a rebellion team like ours. A larger one. Their base was discovered and she was sent to eliminate them, along with other removers. She tried to sneak him out and was caught by the others. They killed him right before her eyes and tried to kill her too. Thankfully she escaped and eventually was found by Cain. That's when he took her in. At first the rest of us didn't trust her, but eventually she proved herself. Now she is a loyal partner. She still refuses to get close anyone. Ren thinks it's because she doesn't want to feel pain like that again." Fly was about to say another word, but he realised he was finished and closed his mouth. After severel more minutes of silence, Shy began to feel better. He was about to ask another question when his train of thought was interrupted.

"So," he began. "What do you plan on doing now?" Fly looked at him with curiosity.

"I don't know. I have no where to go, the only people I know now are the six of you, not that I really know you guys. I just, I need some time to think it over for a while. A day or two maybe." He began to think of possible places he could go but none came to mind.

"Well why don't you just stay here then? I mean you were meant to. That's what your father meant to happen anyway. That's why there were three beds in his room. One for you, your mom and…" Shy looked away, tears welling in his eyes. He remembered what Guardian had told him back when he first arrived, about how it was not his fault. But whenever someone mentioned them, he had a hard time believing it. As the tears started rolling down his face, he walked away from Fly. He felt the guilt growing inside him, as if a weedle was crawling around under his skin. He couldn't deal with the shame he felt, and ran into the forest. Fly called after him and tried to catch him, but his small form made it easy for him to manoeuvre through the thick shrubbery.

* * *

"So do you want him to leave," questioned Guardian. "Or can he stay?" Guardian stared at Cain for several moments before speaking again, giving him time to mull it over.

"I know for a fact that he wants to stay. Well, not that he wants to but he has nowhere else to go and he's starting to come around to the idea of staying. So the question is, will you let him?"

"It is not my decision to make," replied the lucario. His brow was furrowed.

"It is that of the entire group. I understand who he is and that we are obligated to care for him, but that obligation only stands for some time. Eventually he would have to leave."

"But why would he have to?" pleaded Serena. "He could help us. We could train him and he join forces with us."

"No," Cain retorted. "We do not need that burden on our hands. This is a war. And our primary concern is winning it. Doing everything we can to try and stop the Demon King. You know that. X knew that."

"But X didn't know that it would only be Shy to come on his own. He thought his mother would be there to look out for him." Guardian was surprised that Serena was so enthusiastic about it all. If anyone could persuade Cain to do something, it was her.

"Please Cain, do it for X. You know that he would have trusted us to look after his son. One last favour." Serena had a way with words that always baffled Guardian for as long as she'd known her. The room fell silent as Cain thought about the proposal. Guardian tried to hear what he was thinking but she could never seem to get into his mind. She would expect no less from such a powerful pokemon.

"He may stay on several conditions," he began. "One. Guardian, you are responsible for him. You must keep an eye on him at all times unless someone else agrees to do so for you." Guardian nodded.

"Two. He may train with anyone who agrees to train him. If he is to accompany anyone on a mission, at least two team members must be present. Also, try to start with something simple. Something that won't risk him or the mission. And three. Perhaps the most important part, you must get permission from everyone to allow him to stay. If you get everyone to agree to this, I shall agree as well." He headed towards the exit, about to leave when Fly barged in through the door. His face had gone pale, his bright eyes dimmed, as if he had seen a ghost.

"He…he's gone." Fly was completely out of breath.

"Shy ran into the woods. I tried to catch him but he…" Guardian rushed out the door. She opened the hatch before she got to it and flew out through the opening, leaving the entrance open and the others to hear the rest of what happened from Fly.


	3. Chapter 3: Going Home

Shy walked slowly back in the direction he came. It was almost nightfall and he was yet to even get a glimpse of the desert. He knew he was lost. He had come to the realisation a while ago but decided he would walk around aimlessly in the hope that he would stumble upon the base by accident. So far he hadn't been so lucky. He wanted to keep looking through the night but his legs felt as though they were going to give way. He collapsed behind a bush, trying his best to conceal himself from both predators and the cold.

Shy wondered if the others were looking for him. He figured that they probably were not. They acted as though he were nothing more than someone who they had to put up with. Someone they would be glad to be rid of. How he wished none of this had ever happened. How his father had died, how his family were brutally murdered. How he had thrown away his last opportunity for companionship. For someone to talk to. He felt an ache in his chest as he pictured the faces of the ones he had lost. He wondered if he would be better off just staying in the woods, dying there.

A low moaning sound came from close by, alarming Shy. He kept still, his body tense, waiting to flee. When he heard the sound again his alarm subsided. The sound had come from him, his stomach. He had not eaten in a very long time, and the pangs of hunger were starting to have an effect on him. He crawled out from behind the vegetation and meekly searched for something to eat. He knew starvation was not a pleasant way to die. He scampered out into the clearing, his nose outstretched. He sniffed the air in search of any scent of food. His nose caught something that pricked his ears. Shy raced off in the direction it had come from.

* * *

"We should head back," whispered Serena. She gazed up at the sky with a worried look.

"The sun is setting, there's no way we can ring him in the dark. Besides, there is a likely possibility that he -" She was cut off by a dangerous look from Guardian, who was searching every piece of shrubbery frantically. Serena was worried she would never stop looking for him.

"You go if you want," Guardian said. "I will keep looking on my own." Her voice was shaking.

"You know I can't leave you. Cain's orders. No one goes out alone. Not with all those…things out there." Serena shivered as she said it.

"They're called sirens. And why all of a sudden are you so scared of them? It's not like they're very intelligent. They are easy to defeat." Guardian didn't even look at her as she was talking. She was too focused on finding Shy.

Sirens were another one of the Demon King's methods of controlling the region. They were essentially zombies of pokemon that were captured by the Demon King. Their memories were wiped and replaced with one objective. If they caught a pokemon they would scream. But their scream was devastating. It pierced the brain of their victim, paralysing them. They then took their victims to the removers. If they were killed they were considered lucky. However sirens had a flaw. They were utterly useless against attacks. A simple scratch would kill them, that is, if they weren't ghost pokemon. Most people try to avoid going out at night in case they run into one and can't tell if they are sirens or not.

"Well if you're scared of them then how do you think Shy is. And they are harder to recognise in the dark. He could mistake one for a normal pokemon and they could take him to the removers and then his death would be on our shoulders. Have you forgotten he is considered an outlaw with a bounty on his head." Guardian was yelling at Serena now, unable to control her anger. She let lose a powerful moonblast attack at a nearby tree, snapping it in half as if it were a small sapling. The two pokemon said nothing and kept walking.

* * *

Shy emerged from the forest at a cliff's edge. He walked over to the drop, gazing down at the ocean. It reminded him of the cliff he had stayed on on the last leg of his journey to the base. It seemed like a long time ago and not just the day before.

The sun had passed over the horizon and had almost been swallowed by the sea. The cool orange glow reflected back up into Shy's face. He looked around for what he had smelled but nothing caught he attention. At least, not at first. He noticed a small blue berry on the ground to his left. He recognised it as an oran berry, one he had eaten several times when he was hurt. His mother often mashed them up into a paste for his sister to eat when she was younger. He pawed at it for a while, wondering where it had come form. There were no oran trees in the forest so it must have belonged to some poor passer by who dropped it. Shy questioned wether he should eat it or not. His mother had always told him not to steal. But then again, he questioned wether or not it was actually stealing. For all he knew it had been laying there for a while, and its owner could have been some horrible pokemon that didn't deserve it. Eventually his stomach, combined with his wild imagination, overthrew his conscience and he decided to eat the berry.

The smooth texture of the soft plump fruit, the sweet, juicy flavour took over his entire mouth. His entire body felt warm, yet a shiver went up his spine. The sensation was overwhelming. It made Shy feel much better than he had before, the hunger pains disappearing as soon as he finished the berry. He sat down to enjoy the feeling as much as he could. The sun was almost gone, the stars creeping across the sky, the darkness consuming everything above. At first, Shy relished the fact that the day was drawing to a close. But he remembered the fact that he had nowhere to go, and the depressing feeling he had before returned.

He was about to set off when something flew over his head, too fast for him to make out a shape. His immediate reaction was to run and hide, in case it was being followed. He hid behind a fallen tree, hoping no one else had seen him. He peeked over the the trunk to see no movement. The relocation of the moon on the water was all he saw. He turned around and started to walk away but when he looked ahead of him, he was faced with the figure of a pokemon. Shy recognised the shadow of the pokemon as a palpitoad. But he noticed something different about it. It seemed to have a lifeless energy radiating form it. It's eyes were glowing a strange dark purple. His instincts were to run, but he was frozen in fear. The palpitoad walked closer, limping as it did so. Shy has no idea what to do, he was backed up into the tree trunk. He let loose his most powerful screech attack but it had no effect on the palpitoad. It got closer and closer, and Shy saw no way out.

And then it was on its side, squirming uncontrollably for a few seconds until it finally let out its last gasp. The deadly aura had vanished, and the deceased pokemon seemed to disintegrate right in front of him. Shy's eyes looked at the dark creature that stood above it's victim. One slash of it's claw and the palpitoad was no more. But Shy wasn't afraid. He was comforted to see a face he recognised. Luna looked down at him with a grin. Before she could say anything, Shy noticed Ren land on the tree trunk behind him. He turned to face her.

"What are you doing out here? Does Guardian know you're out here? Or Cain?" She looked surprised but not very alarmed. Luna let loose her infectious giggle.

"And what was that! You tried to scream at a siren? Talk about playing them at their own game! Have you never seen one before?" She laughed again, quieter than the first time.

"I panicked. I…I've never had to face one on my own before." Shy looked down at his feet, feeling weak.

"C'mon," Luna said. "Let's head back. We have stuff to do. You're lucky we saw you on our way home." Ren offered to let Shy sit on her back but he had never flown before and was scared. He tried his best to keep up with Luna on foot, and they eventually reached the desert past midnight.

* * *

Cain looked at Shy with a frown on his face. He had just been standing there for some time, considering what he should say. He had asked to speak to Shy alone, before Guardian and Serena got back.

"What you did was foolish. You put your life at risk and prevented us from performing our duties. I would lecture you but I imagine Guardian will take care of that when she returns. Besides, I have another topic in mind. Guardian seems to have some sort of infatuation with you, one I do not understand. She requested of me to allow you to stay here with us." His expression didn't change as he was talking.

"Well I don't know what to do, where I should go and-"

"I didn't say too speak. It is not my decision to allow you to stay, it is that of everyone else. Only if they all agree to allow it, then I shall as well. If not, you must leave." Cain paused for effect, allowing the words to sink in.

"However, if you do decide to stay, you must treat everyone with respect, follow their orders, do as you are told. You may even become part of the team if you can pass our examination. It was originally designed by your father. One of his few successful ideas." Shy did not like Cain diminishing his dad, but he tried his best to ignore it.

"If everyone agrees to you staying, then the rest is up to you. You may train with us, live with us, and be a fully fledged member of this team." Once he had finished talking, Cain sat in the corner of the room with his legs crossed and eyes closed. Shy had no idea what to do, so he decided to leave. HE expected Cain to stop him, to say one last word as he normally did. But he walked out without interruption.

Outside the door, Fly was waiting for Shy to come out. He was't sure wether Shy would be happy or sad when he came out, but he smiled either way. He never really stopped smiling.

"How did it go?" he questioned.

"He didn't," Shy replied. "He said if all of you guys say yes then I can stay and join the team." Shy had a puzzled look on his face, trying to comprehend what he was just told.

"Well it's a yes from me. And I'm sure the others will say yes as well. What do think Guardian will say when she finds you're back?" Fly looked down at him, waiting for the answer. Shy began to walk away, ushering Fly to come with him. He approached the door to his dad's old room and turned to Fly.

"I don't know. I'm really sorry for running away from you. I just needed to be alone for a while. And I really want to apologise to Guardian as well but I'm really tired. If you see her could you tell her I'm here?"

"Okay, I will. Is there anything else you want? I don't mind." Fly was acting surprisingly kind towards Shy after he ran off on him.

"Umm… I'm not sure if this would be too much to ask but, can you stay here? With me? I guess I had too much time alone." Shy looked up at fly with his deep brown eyes. Fly smiled and walked into the room ahead of him. Shy followed him inside and pushed two of the beds together. The two pokemon lay down, with Shy's head resting on Fly's tail. Fly smiled at him and lay his head down on the straw. He left the torches lit, waiting for the other two to come back. He hoped they wouldn't take too long. He looked at Shy again to see his eyes closed and him sound asleep. He stayed awake for some time, watching him, making sure he was okay.


	4. Chapter 4: Joining Forces

Shy looked sheepishly at the door. He was nervous about what the others were talking about. He wondered what they would say. He wondered what Guardian would say. He hadn't seen her yet. He knew she would be furious with him. In the little time he had known her, he seemed to have found out a lot about her personality, her history. How she was a remover. How she left the Demon King for the one she loved. How he died. How she ran away. How Cain took her in and how she became part of Team Fugitives. And he also knew how reasonable she could be, and how short tempered. She reminded him of his mother.

Serena had told him to wait in the hallway while the others discussed his fate at the base. He had come to develop an attachment to the place his father had called home. He had no idea until now how much he had wanted to stay here. He longed for it. He waited impatiently while they decided what would become of him. Regardless of how much he wanted to stay here, he knew he had nowhere else to go anyway. This was his only option. He could only survive on his own for so long.

The door opened with Cain standing at the entrance. He ushered Shy inside, motioning with his paw. Shy walked slowly through the doorway. He saw everyone sitting around the stone table with the wonder map on it. He sat down between Ren and Luna, sitting opposite Guardian. She averted her gaze when he looked at her. It was Serena who spoke up first.

"We have discussed your future here with us. It has been some time since we have taken in an outsider, and in that instance it was quite a benefit to our team. However there is no way to know if the outcome now will be the same. We have also considered each other's opinions, and the fact that it was your father's wish for you to stay with us. Considering these factors, we have all made our own decisions."

"As I had stated previously," Cain began. "All of us must agree to let you stay and join us. The verdict was four to two on you joining us." The words hit Shy like a tonne of bricks. He knew he had wanted to stay, but now that he knew he couldn't he had no idea what he would do. Where would he go? He was alone in the world and this was the only place he had left that he felt a connection to.

"However," Cain continued. "We all agree, myself included, that it would not be right to simply make you leave. Instead we have made the decision to allow you to stay until we find a suitable residence for you." Shy waited for Cain to continue but he just stood there staring at him. He noticed all the others were as well, except for Guardian.

She kept her eyes on the centre of the map, an area of yellow bordering on a forest and on the ocean on the other side. Shy assumed it was the desert where the base was. Near the forest border was a red spot, representing it. There were a number of red spots in several locations on the map, one just north of the forest. There were many more black spots as well.

"So what now?" Shy questioned.

"For now we'll take care of you, like your father would have wanted," said Fly.

"You may continue to reside in your father's old dwelling, and use the few facilities we have here. If you are to leave the base then you must be accompanied at all times by at least one of us." After Cain had finished speaking he addressed the entire group, telling them to follow their missions for the day. Guardian and Ren were to go out on another scouting mission, Fly was to accompany Cain and Luna on a rescue mission. They had received information that some of the Demon King's dark forces were invading Silver City in search of a group of resistance members south-west of the desert. They were going there to try and lead them away from the city because the truth was that there was a large group called Team Seawater who were hiding out there after attacking an army base. A member of their team had escaped and asked Team Fugitives for help. Shy was told to go with Serena to pay a visit to the pokemon resistance base at the other side of the forest to get some supplies. Despite their capabilities, Team Fugitives was smaller than most of the other resistance forces around the region and lacked many of the facilities other bases had. The base they were heading to was large and had a market. They departed as soon as the meeting was ended.

* * *

Shy pondered at the thought of what he would say to Guardian. He had been thinking about it ever since he got back the previous evening and was yet unsure of what he would say. He knew an apology was not enough and he realised that he had no excuse. It was for this reason that he had not spoken to her yet. That and the fact that she hadn't even looked at him.

He followed Serena through the overgrown forest and tried his best to keep up. For a water type pokemon, she was very capable at manoeuvring herself on land. This brought Shy onto other thoughts. He remembered his mother. Her golden fur was the most beautiful pelt he had ever laid his eyes upon. She had told him several times the story of her and his father. She had originally chosen to evolve using a water stone, in the hopes of become a vaporeon. She had admired their ability to swim so fast that they became invisible to those not capable of embracing the ocean. However when she met his father, she evolved into a jolteon along with him. She told Shy that her love for his father was stronger than her desire to be one with the waves. This story had inspired Shy's little sister to one day become a vaporeon. Shy had decided he would be a jolteon, like his parents. Lately however, he had mixed feelings about the idea.

* * *

Shy's thoughts and memories kept him occupied long enough to last the entire walk to the base. It had turned out that Serena had handled four sirens without him noticing. They obviously hadn't come into contact with her or they would have set off their demonic wail. When Serena told him to stop, he looked around for the entrance. He didn't know what to expect really, a door leading to an underground metropolis, or a discreet stairway leading to a building in the trees. His expectations were not that big however. Even though he had not yet seen all of Team Fugitives' base, he knew it was nothing to marvel at. He didn't expect much difference from this one. All he saw in front of him was a small forest clearing.

"Where is it?" queried Shy.

"Be patient young one," Serena replied. "She will show herself soon." Serena kept her gaze and the ground. Shy wondered who she was talking about. Did this base only consist of one pokemon?

His thoughts were interrupted by a dark figure rising from the ground. Shy realised that the base entrance must also be a hidden hatch like that back in the desert, but he could see no opening. Just a purple shape growing out of the decomposing leaves. Shy recognised the figure as a misdreavus.

"Serena my darling! How is the most beautiful serpentine in all of the region?" It's voice squeaked at the end of each sentence, chirping as though it were a bird pokemon. "And who is this little fellow at your side. My, he is the most delicious little fox I had ever laid my eyes on!" Shy feared that the comment was an actual statement, and that the misdreavous actually thought he might taste good. He took a step away from the ghost and stood behind Serena.

"It's nice to see you as well Molly. This is Shy. He is X's pup. He is staying with us until we can find him a more permanent home." Shy cringed at the thought of being left somewhere unknown to him with strangers, especially if they were anything like the figure that floated before him.

"Oh well that's good to hear. I am very sorry about your family my dear, I do wish you all the best." Her loud tone had subsided, and she looked upon Shy with pity. He hated people doing that.

"Molly, we came to get some supplies, and I must speak to Garchomp if that is okay?"

"Oh yes yes yes yes yes my dear. I am sooooooo sorry for the hold up. I'll have you down in no time at all." And with that a dark bubble enveloped the three pokemon and they descended into the ground.

* * *

Shy stood in awe at what stood before him. Molly had brought them down through the ground and into an enormous room filled with bustling pokemon. An onix passed by, towering before him but still seeming minute compared to the size of the rock walls surrounding him. A small group of growlith ran past in a hurry, while many more pokemon went about their business, each walking down some hallway and getting lost in the crowd. His eyes fell upon a violet beast with a ruby on its forehead. It was a pokemon he had never seen before but felt a strange connection to it. It stood on a pedestal and created dark bubbles around pokemon, transporting them through the ceiling. He marvelled her ability, the one shared with Molly and several other pokemon that stood on pedestals throughout the room.

Shy followed Serena through the hoards of pokemon, staring at the various species he recognised, and those that were new to him. They left Molly with a brisk farewell and were soon one with the sea of pokemon that hurried around the room. They walked through a hallway and into a quieter room, although there were still many pokemon walking around. They browsed the various items on the shelves along the walls or queued up towards a counter, behind which stood two kecleon dealing with the various customers.

Shy looked at the blue spheres that stood on one of the shelves. He recognised them as orbs, although he didm't know what each of them did. He saw some orans and apples on the counter, and realised how hungry he was. His eyes widened and he began to drool, imaging the sweet taste of the oran on his lips, the juices running down his jaw and soaking into his brown fur. His daze was interrupt by a small giggle from Serena.

"If you want a berry so bad just have it. I'll pay for it after. Don't worry it's fine." She smiled at Shy and nodded her approval. He took a step towards the shelf and sniffed the air. His growling stomach was louder than his conscience and he leaped straight at the berry. A few pokemon stared at him, including the two behind the counter who looked quite displeased at his actions. But after a quick look of reassurance from Serena they went back about their business. "They must have known her," he thought.

Shy devoured the berry. Each time he ate one it tasted better than the last. The juices soaked into his fur as he finished off the last morsel, savouring the sweet taste. He felt energised and happy. He walked back over to Serena who was grinning at him. He smiled back at her and sat by her side, waiting patiently for their turn. Eventually, after most of the other pokemon had left the shop, Serena approached the counter. Shy took a scroll for the satchel around her neck by request, as well as a small bag of what he assumed was money.

"Kecleon brothers, it is good to see the two of you," said Serena. Shy noticed that Serena always had a kind yet formal attitude towards everyone she spoke to. A quality which is why she was chosen to be second in command of Team Fugitives.

"Serena!" the two said in unison. The two looked at each other with mirrored contempt, followed by a mimic of laughter.

"How can we help you dear?" inquired the green kecleon. His face was plastered with a smile, although he couldn't fully hide his despair.

"Cain has sent myself and our knew acquaintance on a little supply run. We are here to grab a few things." She handed the green kecleon the scroll. He unfurled it and handed it to his brother, who then sped into the back room. The green kecleon stared down at Shy.

"Is he the offspring of X? The resemblance is quite remarkable. He will make a fine jolteon someday." Shy's thoughts sprung to the purple creature he had seen earlier. He didn't know why he associated it with the species jolteon. If anything an image of his father should have appeared in his mind but he couldn't shake the creature he had seen earlier.

"Yes," replied Serena. "Shy here is staying with us until we can find him a more permanent living situation." Her thoughts seemed to go away from her for a moment until she snapped to attention a few seconds later.

"Anyway, Shy would you mind waiting here for the supplies. I must go speak with someone before we leave. I shouldn't be too long. Wait here for me to return, okay?" She turned to the green kecleon before Shy could even nod his head and gave the payment to the green chameleon. She left the shop with Shy facing the kecleon. He too entered the back room and joined his brother in gathering the various supplies on the scroll.

* * *

A small group entered the shop. Shy recognised one of them as a pikachu, and another as a vulpix, but he had no idea what the third one was. It was small, with a red helmet and stood on two legs. Its torso only consisted of its bare ribcage which looked to be metallic. It also had blades for hands. It was quite frightening to look at although it spoke to its companions with a cheerful tone. They approached the counter and Shy.

"Hey, haven't seen you around here before," said the pikachu. "Everyone calls me Volt." He was very forward when speaking, and the vulpix pulled him away from Shy.

"Sorry about him," said the vulpix. "He can be a bit overly friendly sometimes. I'm Tails by the way. Y'know, because of the tails." She swished the several tails that sprouted from her behind.

"I'm Rook," spurted the little sword pokemon. "I can tell by your expression that your are clueless as to what I am. Well I'll tell yea. I'm a pawniard. The most talented and the strongest pawniard in all the region. So you better watch out buddy." He quickly raised his blades to Shy's neck and stared into his eyes with a menacing look, pulling away slowly and laughing along with himself. His two companions sighed and looked exasperated. Clearly this macho attitude of their friend was something they were used to and quite irritated by.

Shy was about to introduce himself when the purple kecleon emerged from the back room.

"Okay here we go. Everything on the list except we only had three escape orbs left in stock and we are all out of pure seeds." Shy had no clue what any of that had meant but it was clear that the trio standing next to him were disappointed with the news.

"Are you serious!" exclaimed Rook. "We came here specifically for an escape orb, and now you're telling me that this chump bought the last ones?" He looked quite annoyed and angered by the fact that Serena and Shy had bought the rest of the escape orbs, although Shy had no idea what they actually did. He had heard them mentioned once or twice before but had never seen one being used.

"Why are these escape orbs so important to you anyway?" asked Shy.

"Because you idiot," said Rook. "We need them in case we need a quick way out of the dungeon we are going to today". Shy wondered what he had meant by dungeon, but before he could ask, Serena entered the shop.

"How are things going?" she asked. "Did you get everything on the list?"

"Umm…" Shy mulled. "There are only three escape orbs and no seeds."

"Pure seeds," specified the kecleon brothers.

"Ahh well I see, it's quite understandable. With the increase in the Demon King's forces around it must be very difficult getting certain items without their knowledge." The kecleon nodded and went about their business.

"Excuses me, miss?" said Tails with a humbled look. "Would it be too much trouble to ask you for one of those escape orbs. We really need one for our rescue mission today. We will pay you full price but that's all we can afford." Tails looked at Serena with deep, desperate eyes that made you melt when you looked at them. Serena smiled and tilted her head in reply, passing one of the escape orbs to Tails with her fan-like tail.

"Take it as a token of appreciation for the work you do. Everyone who tries to help against the Demon King is an ally and we should all help each other." Serena smiled at the trio of young pokemon and turned to face Shy.

"Shy please help me with the supplies. We must hurry, there is someone in the hallway I would like you to meet." Shy lifted one of the satchels full of supplies and put it around Serena's neck. He then took one himself and left the shop, thanking the kecleon brothers and nodding to the three pokemon he had spoken to.

* * *

"Shy," said Serena. "Meet Garchomp. He is head of this base and leader of Team Shockwave, although due to his status as leader of this entire facility, he hasn't done much field work in a while. He was good in his day though." Serena grinned and stifled a chuckle.

"Now Serena, how unladylike of you. I expected better than meagre insults given that you are now the second in command of Team Fugitives." The beast towered over Shy, it's long fin stretching out from the back of its head. It's navy colouring coupled with the odd shape of its head made it slightly similar to a sharpedo, although it's wings suggested it had the ability to fly.

"Young one," he addressed Shy. "Allow me to formally introduce myself. I am Garchomp, leader of Team Shockwave and head of the red base, one of the largest in the region. It is home to many rescue teams as well as resistance forces. We are also one of the few bases to train young pokemon into fine battlers who join rescue teams or start their own. We house resistance forces which is why we must remain hidden from the Demon King's forces. I am sorry to hear about your family's passing. I offer you my condolences." Shy looked away from the dragon.

"Anyway I just wanted to make your acquaintance before you leave." He turned his attention to Serena. "I will have an answer for you soon. Good day old friend." He turned away from the two pokemon and walked away, leaving Shy quite confused. He had heard a lot today and had many questions filling his head. What were Rook and Tails referring to when they said 'dungeon'? Or what was a rescue team? He decided to wait until they returned to their base before asking questions.

* * *

They walked back to the main hallway where Molly stood conversing with the purple pokemon he had seen before. They approached the two and Molly stopped speaking mid-sentence to greet them.

"Darlings how are you? I trust you got everything you needed?"

"Unfortunately no," said Serena. "We missed a few items. But no matter. We got all the necessities."

"Well that's good to hear are you ready to go back-" Her gaze fell upon Shy and stopped her speaking. She noticed that he was staring straight at the violet fox that stood next to her.

"Oh my goodness how rude of me!" Molly exclaimed. "Shy my dear, this pokemon is a dear friend of mine. This is Lily, an espeon. You must be curious considering one day you may become and espeon yourself. That is, if you don't decide to become a jolteon like your father." Shy had not heard a word Molly had said, and instead had kept his gaze on the espeon. She too returned the gaze and smiled slightly.

"Hmm, well we are in a hurry Molly but I'm sure Shy can speak with Lily some other time." Serena seemed somewhat agitated and Molly sensed it. They said goodbye to Lily and Molly sent them above the surface. They gave their farewells and headed back to their own base.

* * *

About halfway home, Shy could no longer contain his questions. He turned to Serena.

"If that was the red base, then what is your one called?" Serena seemed taken by surprise.

"We don't really have a name. Only official bases have names. The ones that originally housed only rescue teams. And to answer your next question, rescue teams are groups of pokemon who take requests from civilians to do jobs for them. Places like the red base were set up years before the Demon King took power. Pokemon who need help must send requests to places like the red base and then rescue teams part of the red base would accept them. They are still set up all across the region but operate against the Demon King. That is why most bases harbour resistance members as well." Shy gave it a moment to process what he had heard before asking his next question.

"The pokemon in the shop, they were a rescue team. They said they needed the escape orb for a dungeon mission. What is that?"

"A mystery dungeon is a strange place. They are located all over a region. Once you enter one you cannot come out unless you defeat it by traversing all of its floors. What's worse is that they are filled with sirens. However is you get knocked out you don't get taken to the Demon King. Instead you get kick rout of the dungeon with all of your possessions being left inside, never to be seen by you again. Sometimes if you are lucky, while searching a floor for a stairway you may find an item that belonged to a fallen explorer. However each time you enter a dungeon the floor layout changes 's why you cannot map them." Shy was confused by all of the information he had just received and decided to leave it at that.

When they had finally reached the base nobody else had returned. The sun was in the process of setting and all the energy Shy had felt earlier had been drained from him. He couldn't keep himself awake and as collapsed onto his bed, falling asleep as soon as his head touched the warm, cosy straw.


End file.
